Woozi’s Dazzling “Ruby”

Being the brainchild behind nearly every song of SEVENTEEN’s incredibly diverse discography, it’s safe to say that expectations were high for Woozi’s solo debut. After six years spent penning hit after hit for the boy group—including his own solo songs—there aren’t very many genres that the composer hasn’t dabbled in yet. From sultry jazz to summer pop to Broadway to gut-wrenching ballads, Woozi has done it all. So what’s left to do for the man who has mastered K-Pop? Well, rock, of course.

Woozi has a well-known penchant for writing about heartbreak (we see you, “What Kind of Future”), and “Ruby” at first seems to follow suit. The track opens with sweeping orchestral strings, setting the stage for what seems to be a sentimental song before quickly shifting into something more sinister around the 30-second mark. It’s at this point that Woozi’s vocals explode onto the scene, along with searing guitars and heavy drums, as the tempo kicks into gear.

Fans of SEVENTEEN are no strangers to the rock-influence found in the group’s latest album, Attacca, but even tracks like the title song “Rock with you” or the pop-punk-esque “2 MINUS 1” still leaned toward the pop music side of things. “Ruby” revs the rock-influenced engine at full throttle, with its gritty guitars never losing their edge. Woozi takes this even further by layering a grungy autotune effect over his voice as he sings entirely in English—another surprise from the track, especially when he unabashedly curses several times. For an industry so focused on being tight-lipped, it’s absurdly refreshing. Almost as refreshing as the inspiration behind the iconic “pass me a Coke Zero” line. 

“Ruby” throws one more curveball towards its end, with Woozi singing over a tinkling jazz piano line as the song comes to a sudden finish. With such a combination of musical elements, the song is most certainly a Woozi original, with the artist having participated in all matters of the song’s production. In an interview with NAVER, Woozi admitted that he made “Ruby” with the mindset that it would show fans a new side to himself while still being 100% Woozi. After listening, it’s safe to say he delivered on his promise.

The music video capitalizes on the song’s jewel imagery, with splashes of red set against muted backdrops. Woozi looks particularly stunning in a velvety red Gucci suit—a stark contrast to the black and white that surrounds him. The hue cools down at the end, bringing in a blue overlay, but Woozi heats things back up quickly when he breaks out a guitar and performs the song’s ending guitar solo. As red lasers dance across his face, it feels almost maddening that Woozi is capable of being just so talented. 

All in all, “Ruby” is probably not what anyone expected from Woozi. It’s, truthfully, so much more.